Cancer drugs A to Z list
Fruquintinib is a treatment for bowel (colorectal) cancer.
You might have fruquintinib if you have already had treatment with chemotherapy such as fluorouracil (5FU), oxaliplatin and irinotecan. And this was with or without a .
This treatment is an anti angiogenesis treatment. This means it interferes with the development of a blood supply.
Fruquintinib targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This protein helps cancers to grow blood vessels, so they can get food and oxygen from the blood. All cancers need a blood supply to be able to survive and grow.
Fruquintinib blocks this protein and stops the cancer from growing blood vessels, so it is starved and can't grow.
Read about anti angiogenic drugs and how they work
Fruquintinib is a capsule that you swallow, once a day. You can take it with or without food. You should take it at the same time each day.
You swallow the capsule whole. You do not chew, crush or open it.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug or if you miss a dose.
You have fruquintinib as cycles of treatment. This means that you have the drug and then a rest to allow your body to recover.
Each cycle of treatment lasts 28 days (4 weeks).
You take fruquintinib once a day.
You have no treatment.
You then start the cycle again.
You continue taking fruquintinib for as long as the treatment is working and you are not experiencing too many side effects.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Before treatment starts you may have a blood test to check for viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and This is called a viral screen.
It’s important for your doctor to know if you have had any of these viruses. This is because this treatment can weaken your and can cause the virus to become active again (reactivation).
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatments you're having.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects. But you might have some of them at the same time.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
This is due to a drop in the number of platelets in your blood. These blood cells help the blood to clot when we cut ourselves. You may have nosebleeds or bleeding gums after brushing your teeth. Or you may have lots of tiny red spots or bruises on your arms or legs. This is known as petechiae.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you have headaches, nosebleeds, blurred or double vision or shortness of breath. You have blood pressure checks before you start treatment and regularly whilst you have treatment.
You might not feel like eating and may lose weight. Eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day can be easier to manage. You can talk to a dietitian if you are concerned about your appetite or weight loss.
The level of your hormones may drop. This is known as hypothyroidism. You may feel tired or cold, gain weight, feel sad or depressed or your voice may deepen. You will have regular blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels.
The skin on your hands and feet may become sore, red, or may peel. You may also have tingling, numbness, pain and dryness. This is called hand-foot syndrome or palmar plantar syndrome.
Moisturise your skin regularly. Your healthcare team will tell you what moisturiser to use.
Your voice may become hoarse or croaky, or you might lose your voice.
Contact your advice line if you have diarrhoea. For example, in one day you have 2 or more loose bowel movements than usual. If you have a stoma , you might have more output than normal. Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment.
Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. It’s best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. You don’t necessarily need to stop eating foods that contain fibre. But if your diet is normally very high in fibre, it might help to cut back on high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.
Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Mouth sores and ulcers can be painful. It helps to keep your mouth and teeth clean, drink plenty of fluids and avoid acidic foods such as lemons. Chewing gum can help to keep your mouth moist. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have ulcers.
You might feel very tired and as though you lack energy.
Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, for example exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It is important to balance exercise with resting.
You might have liver changes that are usually mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They usually go back to normal when treatment finishes.
You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working.
You might feel some pain from your muscles, bones and joints. This can include chest and neck pain or pain in your limbs.
Small amounts of protein may be found when your nurse tests your pee. If there are large amounts of protein you may have tests to check how well your kidneys are working.
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in white blood cells. Symptoms include a change in temperature, aching muscles, cough, headaches, feeling cold and shivery, pain or a burning feeling when peeing, or generally feeling unwell. Infections can sometimes be life threatening. You should contact your advice line urgently if you think you have an infection
a chest infection or pneumonia – symptoms can include breathlessness, chest pain, cough and a temperature. Contact your doctor if this happens
a low level of potassium in the blood, this can cause muscle weakness, muscle spasms or changes to your heart rhythm
a sore throat
bleeding in your stomach or bowel
high levels of pancreatic . You will have regular blood tests to check this
a hole in the bowel
a skin rash
toothache, gum, mouth or lip pain
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (fewer than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) - a rare disorder of the nerves causing headache, fits, confusion and changes in vision - contact your healthcare team straight away. This condition is reversible
inflammation of the
There isn’t enough information to work out how often this side effect might happen. Fruquintinib can affect wound healing and wounds can take longer to heal. You should stop taking fruquintinib for at least 2 weeks before surgery. After surgery, you should not restart it for at least 2 weeks. And only when your healthcare team is happy that your wound is healing well.
Fruquintinib is a new drug in cancer treatment. So there is limited information available at the moment about possible rare and longer term effects that it may cause. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is not normal for you.
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Read more about how to cope with the side effects
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
It is not known whether this treatment affects in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
This treatment might harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you're having treatment and for at least 2 weeks afterwards.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. Let them know straight away if you or your partner become pregnant while having treatment.
It is not known whether this drug comes through into the breast milk. Doctors usually advise that you don’t breastfeed during this treatment and for 2 weeks after your last dose.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. The length of time depends on the treatment you are having.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, BCG, and yellow fever.
You can usually have:
other vaccines, but they might not give you as much protection as usual
the flu vaccine (as an injection)
the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have a vaccine in relation to your cancer treatment.
You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. If someone has had a live vaccine by mouth or nasal spray there may be a small risk the vaccine virus can be passed onto you if your immune system is weakened.
Your healthcare team will let you know if you need to take any precautions if you are in close contact with someone who has had a live vaccine.
Read more about immunisations and cancer treatment
For further information about each drug and the possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find patient information leaflets for each drug on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 17 Nov 2025
Next review due: 17 Nov 2028
Metastatic bowel cancer is cancer that has spread from the back passage (rectum) and large intestines (colon) to other parts of the body, such as the liver. It is also called advanced cancer. Treatment includes chemotherapy, surgery, targeted cancer drugs and radiotherapy.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
Find out more about What are targeted cancer drugs?
Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.
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